Hi there...I have been reading these blogs and forums and have a question for any successful banders.

I am trying to figure out the benefit of the band itself...as a tool.

I know before I would be able to (and want to) eat way too much food. Example...too much extra cheese and pepperoni pizza, too many tacos, too many cheeseburgers and fries.

With the band...do you NOT eat these foods at all anymore? ...or eat a bite or two and are satisfied with that? Does the band make you just eat less, or not want the food that we used to love? And, is this true long term as well as immediately after surgery?

I am meeting with my surgeon on Thursday and am hopeful to get banded by the end of January! I had no belief that I would ever eat the pepperoni pizza again...and am at peace with that!

I eat most of what I ate before the band. Some things literally won't go past the band anymore. I have been banded for 14 months and am now 160 lbs. I can't eat roast, bread, steak, hot dog weiners and possibly some other items I'm forgetting. But I was able to eat a lot of those things through the first few fills. I am very tight now. You will have much better results if you don't eat everything you ate before, but I have never been a fan of "the right kind of foods". I consider myself successful and so does my Dr, but it is all trial and error. Some of my banded friends still eat bread. It varies depending on the person. Good luck with your journey.

Hi Kristen,

I was able to eat bread until I finally got to restriction. I still can on some breads but don't much cuz it sometimes does get stuck. I have really changed my eating habits because it's something I wanted to do. I wanted to eat less and eat healthier. I don't deprive myself of anything I absolutly want but I have done so good at losing that I make better choices now because I don't want to disappoint myself by not losing any weight. Some of the things I get stuck on are rice, dry meat, bread and hamburger meat. I didn't have a difficult time with these until several fills to reach restriction. Do whats right for you just remember why you did this and don't be mad at the band if you make bad choices. Good luck!

I am in the waiting room of my surgeon's office waiting for my 2nd fill. I was banded 10/12/11. I am down 30 lbs. the first fill gave me some restriction, but I can still eat anything. I stay full longer and am definitely getting the stop signal, but I am not at the green zone in any way yet. It's a very personal experience. Some people need no fills, others need many. But it was the best decision I have made for myself. Good luck to you on your journey to band land!

First of all everyone is different. I personally can't tolerate most bread and rice, others can. I don't eat steak much because it has to be cut small and it loses it texture and its about texture for me. My friend eats pasta and hot dogs etc. Sometimes you can eat something one day and not the next.

Food really isn't all that important to me anymore. Most days I do not feel too deprived. Its a way of life and I am eating healthier.

If i want a burger and fries I have about 1/2 a burger without bun and about 4 fries and I am good.

Hope this helps

Wendy

I take a different approach - I eat whatever i want. However, the band does its work in that I cant truly eat so much of everything on a consistent basis that I gain weight. But I can eat a "normal" size plate of food at times, my band is almost full and doesnt provide anything LIKE the restriction others talk about. It used to be better, but since I had to have it unfilled for cancer surgery, I've never got it back. I lost a bit of weight during the time it was unfilled. My surgeon thinks - as its been checked out and is all fine - that I've simply lost SO much weight that the band doesnt really fit me anymore. I've gotten down to a BMI of 20, and I"m a tall, but fine boned sort of body type, I didnt have a big, muscular stomach to begin with, and unfortunately, unlike a belt, we cant knock another few holes in it with a nail and hammer.

That said, I'm extremely glad I put in the work that I did, because I dont really need more restriction than what I have.

I decided I was never ever going to diet again, I was going to ditch the good food/bad food mentality. Its taken me years, but I have done it to a large extent. I do relapse, under the stress of cancer I was back to really restrictive eating and weighing 50 times a day, getting stressed because I'd vary by 100 grams!

Basically, once banded and through the post op diet phase, I gave myself permission to eat whatever I wanted. But my question was "I can have it if I want it, but do I really want it". Over time, I came to recognise how often eating was a split second reaction and somethign was down the gob before you even realise it! the band helped me to eat slowly and savour what I was eating and be satisfied with much less. It took a while, but sooner or later, you recognise when you really truly want something. Other times, you want it anyway and override your body and eat it anyway, but basicaly, I've tipped the balance from stuffing whatever I want down my face and eatintg a bit more mindfully, and the band has taken care of the quantity.

Of course you have to eat with some idea of nutrition (or whichever theory you're into) and if you're really listening, you dont truly want cake for every meal, but I absolutely do NOT believe that counting points, calories, Protein etc is right for me. It makes me obsessed and confuses me about when I am truly hungry, what I truly want.

But my real secret? Running. I dont go and pissfart around walking on the treadmill and pushing weights machines around. I bust a gut running or spinning. Nearly every single day for an hour. No zumba, no wii fit for me. When I get my arse into gear to do strength training, I like doing stuff like hoiking a sandbag, or bootcamp, not lifting girlie dumbells. I've got a really hardnosed attitude to exercise and its stood me in very good stead. I think whatever you choose (and its what you enjoy, not what I say of course) you put 150% into it, hold nothing back and absolutely wreck yourself. Exercise is all about intensity.

It is difficult to explain how things change.

For some people they give these foods up entirely, others eat them in smaller portions.

For me some of the changes are subtle. I still eat just about everything with the exception of dry meat as that always causes me problems, but I have never been big on deep fried , unhealthy food. My problem was more one of constant grazing and eating too much chocolate. Technically a band does not stop you from grazing and it won't stop you eating chocolate but I eat far less of it these days. It works because it helps to control your hunger. If you are not hungry then it is a lot easier to cut out the snacking. We do have to remember though that not all eating is done because of hunger, a lot of non hungry eating goes on too - eating out of habit, boredom, because it looks good etc.So although the band helps to control your hunger you still need to take charge and ensure you have ways of controlling your non hungry eating.

I still eat bread but far less of it. I can eat a burger so long as it is not too dry but I eat it without the bun. I can still eat fries but only a few as after that I know I will have a problem. Unfortunately the shop bought really greasy ones are a lot easier to eat than the oven baked healthier kind.

What is strange is that somehow your tastes change and you don't really miss the foods that you no longer eat. I loved big juicy burgers but I don't miss them. Ditto chips etc.

It is impossible to predict in advance what you will/won't be able to eat. It seems to be a very individual journey. Good luck and hope you soon enjoy being banded, slimmer and healthier.

I can have it if I want it, but do I really want it

Sounds familiar - where have I heard that before?

For some people they give these foods up entirely, others eat them in smaller portions.

It is impossible to predict in advance what you will/won't be able to eat. It seems to be a very individual journey.

I eat a lot of the same foods I did before, but much smaller portions. I can't eat a lot of red meat, other than hamburger, it is just too tough. But, if I want some chips, for example, I'll eat maybe 10 of them and am satisfied. Before I would eat an entire bag. I've kept my weight off for over a year now, so this approach seems to be working for me. I agree it is an individual thing though.

This question comes up from time to time. Will I be able to eat my favorite foods?

Everyone here who has been banded has a high BMI labeling us as "Morbidly" Obese.

How did we get that way?

The very thing we love to do was killing us!

I have tried diet after diet for over 30 years! You name it....from cabbage to hypnotism.

So when I was told that having a band wrapped around my stomach thus preventing me from ever over eating again, and possibly preventing me from eating certain foods, it was a no brainier.

Do I miss certain foods? Definitely. I miss going to 5 star steak houses. I miss going to "All You Can Eat Chinese Buffets"

But the feeling of having my life changed, something I could have never done on my own, to receive compliments from people, some who never knew or seen me when I was over weight, or having all my health problems disappear, I don't regret for one minute giving up my old life and my old eating habits.

I am 2 months post op so no I don't eat all the stuff I used to. part of the reason I don't is that is brings back old behavior - bad behavior for me.

I used to graze quite a bit all day, I never realized how much I was eating! I know "are U kidding". I do not eat anything in between meals now. I drink lots and lots of Water. I've changed over to tea( caffeine free or low caffeine).

I put Protein first always. keep track of the daily total.

I am trying to think differently now. Eat to live instead of live to eat.

Instead of rewarding with a food item, I try clothes or movie, a book anything else. i don't want to think like I used to.

For me I have to keep reminding myself, "it's only food, it's not that important".

It is so strange that we are all so different and you really don't know how it will work for you until the band is in place and you get some adjustments. I was so desperate to get the weight off I really didn't care if I had to eat gruel the rest of my life. I am happy that I can eat more than gruel, but my list of foods that give me trouble is long. From day one of banded life my stomach has been very sensitive. I can no longer eat pizza, hamburgers, french fries, Pasta .......the list is much longer. I no longer even crave these foods. It's a good thing because these foods made me morbidly obese. I figure I have eaten enough of these foods for a lifetime anyway.

Sometimes the lessons are hard learned. I'll give you an example: I think I had only my first fill at this stage....can't remember. I had taken a nap and did not eat lunch. I needed to go pick up my grandson from school. There is a McDonalds on the way, so I figured I could drink a bit of coffee and maybe half a small fry from the drive-thru. I pulled in the "flow lane" at the school where many parents line up and wait. I drank about half a small coffee. I ate about 4-5 french fries. All of a sudden it hit me! OMG! I thought I was going to die! I knew I was going to throw up! There were many people around........ all I could do was grab the McDonalds bag and throw up. There was no avoiding it. so......... no more french fries for me and no more fried food at all. .....lesson learned.

After food causes pain, discomfort or puke, it no longer even sounds good.

I am at restriction and can eat anyting I ate before with two exceptions. I can only eat raw carrots with the help of hummus, and cheap white bread rolls like you get at low end restaurants for an app gets stuck big time. As part of my presurgery journey I had to attend 3 mindful eating therapy sessions where we discussed trigger foods and the emotional roots of over eating. Took me 6 months to get restriction. This very well could be a very mental battle for MONTHS from your first appointment. Do you have a thin family member or friend whose eating habits you can study? What I try to do is live by the 90/10 rule. Eat very healthy 90% of the time excerise 7 days a week. At a family birthday or Christmas I can have dessert or crackers and cheese.

For me, the band is not a "tool" because I think of a tool as an object I have to manipulate in some way to make it work. A tool is something I myself have to put effort in to get the job done. The band has worked more like a mechanical device. The device is wrapped around my stomach and does restrict the types of food I am able to eat as well as restricting the amount of food I can eat. I have not eaten a normal size plate of food since July 2009.

I lost 100 pounds in the first year with very little effort.

For me, the band is not a "tool" because I think of a tool as an object I have to manipulate in some way to make it work. A tool is something I myself have to put effort in to get the job done. The band has worked more like a mechanical device. The device is wrapped around my stomach and does restrict the types of food I am able to eat as well as restricting the amount of food I can eat. I have not eaten a normal size plate of food since July 2009.

I lost 100 pounds in the first year with very little effort.

Exactly......I take exception to calling it merely a tool.....It is Surgical Intervention, I cannot use it any way I choose, to my advantage or not. It was surgically implanted to do a specific job...Mainly my eating.

Would you call a cardiac pacemaker a tool?? It also is surgically implanted to do a specific job.

I have been banded since October 2011 and have found that I can eat most of the things I ate before the band with a few exceptions. Bread is a HUGE issue for me, it just does not want to go down and gets stuck. But everything else I can do as long as I eat small bites.

As for eating what you use to before you were banded, yes you can but with limits. For example we have a tridition at our house is that Friday evenings are pizza and a movie night. I can still eat pizza i just only eat 1 slice instead of half the pizza. You will have to eat ALOT slower with the band which will fill you up quicker. But if you want something do not deny yourself just do it in moderation.

Even though I have been banded for a little less then 4 months I still get what I call "fat girl" moments and try to shove food in to my mouth to fast. I know when that happens almost instantly (not to gross you out) but am usually in the restroom within minutes throwing it up.

You learn what you can and can not eat. I think one of the hardest parts is unlearning the many years of bad habits.

Hope this helps :-)